Today on the Travel Industry Rock stars stage we welcome Roberto Boscolo.
Vice President of the Boscolo Hotels group, he belongs to one of the most important families in the hotel industry and has acquired a broad international experience in the opening and management of luxury hotels through his work in Europe, Japan, and America.
He answers questions for the Venere Travel Blog and gives us some news about the opening of the new Boscolo hotel in Nice, South of France.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your career in the hotel industry?
The family management environment in which I grew up has inevitably brought me close to the hotel industry. I have always made it a priority to build a solid base of experience around this opportunity. I started at the very bottom, I have worked in the kitchens, as a waiter, cook, and concierge. To work in so many different roles across the board has given me the opportunity to deeply understand the dynamics that rule the hotel environment.
Part of my experience comes also from my work abroad: in London I worked as directorial assistant and food and beverage manager for Jarvis International, in Paris as a vice-president and customer care manager for Golden Tulip Alliance . To compare myself and my skills outside of family management reality has given me the possibility to gain a more mature and responsible view of the international hotel business.
Even when I returned to Italy I sought the opportunity to travel. I collaborated with tour operators and with the Development Office for the Boscolo hotel chain: this has brought me to work in North and South America, Japan and Israel. I worked in the commercial, marketing and financial departments which has led me to gain more experience in tourist accommodation know-how.
Through this I acquired the experience and competence which have enabled me to coordinate an ample network of sales executives, to create and handle co-marketing and partnership deals, to manage the product distribution through the GDS systems and to test new veld management programs for agencies and hotels. Through a bet with my father I founded an organization that overlooks the development and management of the hotel business, keeping it at the highest quality standards. Beginning from what was an almost unimportant company goal I have been able to reach and surpass the goals set by the Company Board.
After acquiring solid competences and a valid experience in the opening of 5 star Hotels, I am now in the role of industrial manager for the Group, and play a major role on the board as Vice President for the Boscolo Hotels.
What do you like the most about your job?
Certainly what I most appreciate about my job is the possibility to compare myself everyday to other people, to their responsibilities and their necessities. I approach new situations and challenges concretely and with humility, trying every time to learn from them and to use that experience which I have acquired through time. However, what simplifies and keeps my work a pleasure is first of all knowing the values of the organization and the group that I am part of. I strongly believe in the Company’s mission which makes our product one of the most prestigious on the market.
Compared to other Luxury hotels in Italy and Europe, what makes Boscolo Hotels special? What does Boscolo offer its guests?
The Boscolo Hotels chain refuses to comply to the homogeneity typical to this business category, underlining instead the unique characteristics of each of the historical and artistic sites in which almost all of the Boscolo Hotels reside. This is certainly the first and foremost characteristic that distinguishes them: each hotel maintains its original peculiarities, keeping true to the styles of the era in which it was built, creating a unique product like the prestigious Hotel designed by Aleph in Rome or the New York Palace in Budapest which is part of the Leading Hotels of The World. This distinguishes Boscolo Luxury Hotels from the rest. We combine a great attention to detail, a refined service and the ever important task of being the spokespersons for Italian hospitality in the world.
We have heard about the opening of a new Boscolo hotel in Nice, French Riviera. Could you tell us something about this next Boscolo event ?
After an important renovation process and an accurate refurbishment, at the end of the summer 2008 the long awaited 5 star Nice hotel will open. The Exedra, located in a luxurious Belle Epoque establishment on the central boulevard, will have 113 rooms, a modern congress center and a complete spa. It will cover a space of 600 square meters of which 75 occupied by the pool next to which there will a sauna, a hamman, tropical showers and a gym. All this will give forth to a high scale hotel, a perfect combination of classic and modern, spaces from another era and cutting edge technologies.
How do you see the future of the luxury hotel industry in Italy and worldwide?
The luxury goods consumer, today, is no longer part of a socio-economic elite, but comes instead from an emerging market that is all but in crisis. I believe that the future of the luxury hotel industry is characterized by ample growth opportunities, for those who dare come aboard. In order to do this it will be necessary to continue working to deserve the title of ambassadors of that refinement and hospitality typical of the Italian culture, investing in new international markets.
Topic: Travel Industry Rockstars |
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Tags: Italy, luxury, travel industry
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